Hand held pop tab opener

ABSTRACT

A pull tab lifting, freeing and tab discarding implement constructed to be grasped in one hand and actuated in the manner of a lever while the can or container is held in the other hand. It comprises an elongated flat frame, that is, an adaptation which is made from rod or stout wire stock, the frame being widened and arcuately rounded at the forward end to engage the rim and rest atop the can. The rearward end is gradually narrowed and also arcuately rounded and the two end portions are joined by a median progressively narrowed portion. A cross member, also made or rod stock, bridges and is integrally connected with the median portions of the side members of the frame. A median portion of the cross member is bent upon itself and fashioned into and provides a downbent oblique angled eye engaging and lifting hook. The hook is lifted up with and hitched from the forward end to achieve the desired lifting, tab yanking and removing result. An elongated spring tongue is provided and serves as a racking and storing finger for discardable tabs.

United States Patent [191' Bucko A [54] HAND HELD POP TAB OPENER [76] Inventor: Edward P. Bucko, PO. Box 5, Great Falls, Mont. 59401 [22] Filed: Apr. 22, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 136,394

[52] U.S. Cl. ..81/3.46 A, 294/26 [51] Int. Cl. ..B67b 7/40 [58] Field of Search ..294/1 R, 25, 26; 7/1 A, 14.2 A, 7/14.25; 30/3, 5.5, 6.4; 81/3.34, 3.36, 3.46 A; 215/46 R, 26 A, 55', 220/47, 43, 53, 54

2,727,415 12/1955 Wendelken ..8l/3.46A

Primary ExaminerEvon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Johnny D. Cherry Attorney-Clarence A. O'Brien and Harvey B. Jacobson [451 Apr. 3, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT A pull tab lifting, freeing and tab discarding implement constructed to be grasped in one hand and actuated in the manner of a lever while the can or container is held in the other hand. It comprises an elongated flat frame, that is, an adaptation which is made from rod or stout wire stock, the frame being widened andarcuately rounded at the forward end to engage the rim and rest atop the can. The rearward end is gradually narrowed and also arcuately rounded and the two end portions are joined by a median progressively narrowed portion. A cross member, also made or rod stock, bridges and is integrally connected with the median portions of the side members of the frame. A median portion of the cross member is bent upon itself and fashioned into and provides a downbent oblique angled eye engaging and lifting hook. The hook is lifted up with and hitched from the forward end to achieve the desired lifting, tab yanking and removing result. An elongated spring tongue is provided and serves as a racking and storing finger for discardable tabs.

. 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures HAND HELD POP TAB OPENER This invention relates to manually manipulable implements, appliances and devices which are suitably designed and adapted to enable a user to pry up the commonly clenched ring-like eye so that it can be readily grasped and lifted in a manner to rip out and remove a severable can opening tab and has to do, more particularly, with a hand held implement which is not only releasably hitched to the eye but subjects the same to a pull which is capable of disloding, yanking and bodily removing the tab.

There has long existed a need for a hand held and manipulatable tool or implement which lends itself to practical use in lieu of screw drivers and make-shift implements when one finds it difficult to catch hold of and lift the pull ring or eye at the inner end of the severable tab. This need exists all the more when the user is a bartender or one who is called upon at an outing or picnic to handle the chore of opening up one can after another when it is wet, slippery and difficult to handle; It follows that the purpose of the instant invention is to provide a special purpose implement, that is, one which is expressly constructed and lends itself to not only catch hold of and lift up the ring or eye but enables the user to forcibly yank, dislodge and remove the frangible tab.

An object of the present invention is to improve upon prior art tab lifting and removing devices and, in so doing, to provide a simple, practical, economical, easy-to-use implement whose forward end is positioned on the top of the can in a proper locale and whose over hanging rearward end portion is used as a handle to accomplish the hitching and'tab removing results.

Briefly, the device lends itself to feasible and reliable use when one is called upon to dislodge and remove a pull tab from the sealed top of a commodity can or a corresponding liquid or food cup or container. It comprises a hand held can opening implement which,

broadly stated, is characterized by an elongated lever herein disclosed and having a forward end portionwhich is fashioned into and provides ar fulcrum, which has a rearward end portion which is adapted to provide a comfortably grippable handle, has an intervening or median portion, that is a portion which is provided with hook means, the hook means fastened on the median portion and being so arranged that the bill part of the hook is capable of being retentively but releasably engaged with the usual ring-like lifting eye carried, as is customary, at the inner lifting end portion of the tab. A cross member is provided on the median portion and a median part of the cross member is fashioned into an oblique angled hook which is in a locale that can be lined up and releasably engaged with the aforementioned ring or eye. Then, too, novelty is predicated on the provision of an elongated spring metal tongue or finger. This tongue has a rearward end fixed to a corresponding rearward end of the lever. The forward end is free and the tip portion thereof rests atop a chamfered surface on the hook, said tongue being used to temporarily store a plurality of ring-attached tabs which, when the tongue is properly manipulated, can be dumped or discarded in a wastebasket or wherever else provision for dumping is made.

details of construction and operation as more fully I hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing a commodity can the top or lid of which is provided with a pull tab having the usual attached ring or eye. and showing, what is more significant, the hand held tab opener constructed and used in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the implement by itself.

FIG. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view, and

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken approximately on the plane of the vertical section line 4-4 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the indicating arrows.

It will be obvious that the beverage can or container 6 (FIG. i) is a conventional type. It has a top end or wall 8, a marginal upstanding bead-type rim 10 and is provided with a se'verable or rippable tab 12. The tab is of usual construction and serves to accommodate a ring type lifting eye 14 whose tapered end is joined at 16 to the narrow inner end portion of the tab.

The-tool lends itself tense in conjunction with the pull tab illustrated. Broadly it comprises a lever. More specifically, it comprises an elongated loop-like frame which is denoted generally at 18 in FIG. 2 and has a widened forward rounded end 20 which is placed inwardly of the bead or rim in the manner shown in FIG. 1 for desired positioning and fulcruming results. The legs or side members 22 converge toward and join with the relatively narrow rounded inner or rearward end 24. This narrow end portion provides an appropriate handle 26. It will be noted that there is a transverse brace at 28 to accommodate an elongated spring metal relatively narrow tongue 30. The portion 32 of the tongue is welded or otherwise fixed at 34 to the brace 28 and the terminal end portion 36 rests atop and is welded or otherwise fixed to the curved or rounded end 24. The free forward end portion of the tongue is denoted at 38.

The primary cross-member, also made of rod stock, is-denoted at 40 and has its laterally bent end portions fixed as at 42 atop the legs thus positioning the cross member at the desired place relative to the lever resting and fulcruming end'20. An intermediate portion of the stout rigid cross member 40 is .bent upon itself as at 44 and the rounded. bight portion is chamferred or beveled at 46 and provides the desired hitching and lifting hook used in the manner illustrated with particularity in FIG. 1. The thus constructedhook is disposed at an oblique angle relative to the underneath side of the frame as brought out particularly in FIGS. 1 and 3. The beveled surface 46 accommodates the free or tip end 38 of the aforementioned tongue 30 as perhaps best shown in FIG. 3.

This beveled bill portion of the hook permits the same to be'li'ned up and engaged with the eye or ring 14 in a substantially self-evident manner. The tip portion 38 yields when the hook is engaged with the eye and yet remains in a position that after the tab with the eye or ring has been removed and dislodged, the then intact tab can be slid back on the tongue permitting the tongue to serve as a trapping and storing finger for a plurality of discardable tabs. This facility prevents the tabs from dropping on the floor or elsewhere. Also because of its flexibility the tongue can be bent by the finger of the user in such a manner, and by aiming the tongue into a wastebasket or trash receptacle whereby to conveniently empty the disposable tabs into said basket in a neat and a desirable manner.

The essence of the invention has to do with the elongated lever 18 having fulcruming means 20 at the forward end which is nested in place against the inner peripheral surface of the bead or rim 10. The forward end portion is thus held in place and against displacement and in readiness for the fulcruming step. The book 44 is engaged with the eye or ring 14 and consequently when the handle is caught hold of the eye can be lifted and, in so doing, the user can swing the entire tool forwardly and rip out and dislodge the tab 12. in many instances all that is necessary, after the hook has been engaged with the ring, is to axially twist the tool or implement. Sufficient force can thus be applied, under ordinary circumstances, to sever and remove the tab 12. Like any other tool or implement one has to experiment with it and after having done so, the trick of It is submitted that the views of the drawing clearly show the manner in which the tool is constructed and that the illustration in FIG. 1 shows the manner in which the tool or implement is applied and readied for lifting and tab removing results. It would seem, there'- fore, that a more extended description is seemingly unnecessary. 1

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows: 7

1. For use when one is called upon to dislodge and remove a pull tab from the top of commodity can or a corresponding sealed container, a hand held can opening implement comprising: an elongated lever having a 3 provide a comfortably grippable handle and an inter-' vening median portion, and hook means fixed on said median portion and capable of retentively but releasably engaging the usual ring-like lifting eye carried by an inner end portion of said tab, and, in combination, an elongated resilient tongue having a rearward end fixed on the handle of said lever and a free forward tip portion normally resting on a coacting surface of the hook means, said tongue being arranged and adapted to pass through the aforementioned ring-like tab lifting eye, whereby a plurality of the disposable eye-equipped tabs can be temporarily racked, suspended and stored on and subsequently slid off said tongue and conveniently dumped into a wastebasket or the like.

2. The opening implement defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said forward end is relatively I wide and arcuately rounded in plan and is conformingly adapted to rest, when in its fulcruming position, atop the can top and against and within the confines of the usual upstanding top rigidfying bead and wherein said median and handle portion is gradually and progressively decreased in width, said hook means comprising a cross-member having an intermediate portion fashioned into and providing a lateral rearwardly projecting hook.

3. A hand held pull tab lifting, freeing and tab discarding implement comprising: an elongated flat frame made of round rod stock and wide and arcuately rounded at a forward end, narrow and arcuately rounded at its rearward end and having an intervening median portion adjoining said forward and rearward ends, said frame providing a hand actuatable lever, a cross-member bridging and integrally joining median portions of the side portions of said frame, a median portion of said cross-member being bent upon itself and fashioned into and providing a downbent oblique angled hook, that is, a hook which can be temporarily hitched to a ring-like lifting eye carried by an inner severable end of said pull tab, 'and', in combination, an

elongated resilient tongue having a rearward end fixed on the handle of said lever and a free forward tip portion normally resting on a coacting surface of the hook means, said tongue being arranged and adapted to pass through the aforementioned ring-likeliftin'g eye,

dumped into a wastebacket or the like.

-. 4. The implement defined in and according to claim 3, and wherein said tongue isrelatively narrow in width and has its lengthwise edges spaced from the elongated side members of said frame, has a rearward end fixed to the rearward rounded end of said handle and has an intermediate portion fixed .to a rigid brace carried by said handle.

5. Ahand held tab lifting, freeing and tab discarding implement comprising: a one-piece elongated loopshaped frame made of round rod stock bent upon itself, said frame being wide and arcuately rounded at a forward end and conformingly adapted to rest, when in its functioning position, atop the can top and against and within the confines of the usual upstanding top rigidify- I ing bead, saidframe being relatively narrow and arcuately rounded at its rearward end and embodying elongated coplanar spaced side portions adjoining said rounded forward and rearward ends, said frame providing a rigid hand actuatable lever, a complemental cross-member also made of round stock and bridging and integrally joining median portions of said elongated coplanar side portions, a median portion of said crossmember being bent upon itself and providing a downbent oblique angled hook which is designed and adapted to be temporarily lined up with and hitched to the usual ring-like lifting eye carried by an inner severable end of said pull tab, said frame being provided adjacent said rearward end with a cross brace joining said elongated side portions together, and an elongated resilient tongue, said tongue being'relati'vely narrow in width and, having longitudinal edges spaced from the respectively adjacent elongated side portions of said frame, said tongue having a rearward end portion fixed to the rearward end of saidframe, having an intermediate portion fixed to said brace and a free forward end tip pqrtion normally resting on a coacting surface of said oblique angled ll'ook.

i t i 

1. For use when one is called upon to dislodge and remove a pull tab from the top of commodity can or a corresponding sealed container, a hand held can opening implement comprising: an elongated lever having a forward end portion fashioned into and providing a fulcrum, a rearward end portion designed and adapted to provide a comfortably grippable handle and an intervening median portion, and hook means fixed on said median portion and capable of retentively but releasably engaging the usual ringlike lifting eye carried by an inner end portion of said tab, and, in combination, an elongated resilient tongue having a rearward end fixed on the handle of said lever and a free forward tip portion normally resting on a coacting surface of the hook means, said tongue being arranged and adapted to pass through the aforementioned ring-like tab lifting eye, whereby a plurality of the disposable eye-equipped tabs can be temporarily racked, suspended and stored on and subsequently slid off said tongue and conveniently dumped into a wastebasket or the like.
 2. The opening implement defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said forward end is relatively wide and arcuately rounded in plan and is conformingly adapted to rest, when in its fulcruming position, atop the can top and against and within the confines of the usual upstanding top rigidfying bead and wherein said median and handle portion is gradually and progressively decreased in width, said hook means comprising a cross-member having an intermediate portion fashioned into and providing a lateral rearwardly projecting hook.
 3. A Hand held pull tab lifting, freeing and tab discarding implement comprising: an elongated flat frame made of round rod stock and wide and arcuately rounded at a forward end, narrow and arcuately rounded at its rearward end and having an intervening median portion adjoining said forward and rearward ends, said frame providing a hand actuatable lever, a cross-member bridging and integrally joining median portions of the side portions of said frame, a median portion of said cross-member being bent upon itself and fashioned into and providing a downbent oblique angled hook, that is, a hook which can be temporarily hitched to a ring-like lifting eye carried by an inner severable end of said pull tab, and, in combination, an elongated resilient tongue having a rearward end fixed on the handle of said lever and a free forward tip portion normally resting on a coacting surface of the hook means, said tongue being arranged and adapted to pass through the aforementioned ring-like lifting eye, whereby a plurality of the disposable eye-equipped tabs can be temporarily racked, suspended and stored on and subsequently slid off said tongue and conveniently dumped into a wastebacket or the like.
 4. The implement defined in and according to claim 3, and wherein said tongue is relatively narrow in width and has its lengthwise edges spaced from the elongated side members of said frame, has a rearward end fixed to the rearward rounded end of said handle and has an intermediate portion fixed to a rigid brace carried by said handle.
 5. A hand held tab lifting, freeing and tab discarding implement comprising: a one-piece elongated loop-shaped frame made of round rod stock bent upon itself, said frame being wide and arcuately rounded at a forward end and conformingly adapted to rest, when in its functioning position, atop the can top and against and within the confines of the usual upstanding top rigidifying bead, said frame being relatively narrow and arcuately rounded at its rearward end and embodying elongated coplanar spaced side portions adjoining said rounded forward and rearward ends, said frame providing a rigid hand actuatable lever, a complemental cross-member also made of round stock and bridging and integrally joining median portions of said elongated coplanar side portions, a median portion of said cross-member being bent upon itself and providing a downbent oblique angled hook which is designed and adapted to be temporarily lined up with and hitched to the usual ring-like lifting eye carried by an inner severable end of said pull tab, said frame being provided adjacent said rearward end with a cross brace joining said elongated side portions together, and an elongated resilient tongue, said tongue being relatively narrow in width and having longitudinal edges spaced from the respectively adjacent elongated side portions of said frame, said tongue having a rearward end portion fixed to the rearward end of said frame, having an intermediate portion fixed to said brace and a free forward end tip portion normally resting on a coacting surface of said oblique angled hook. 